Tirer La Couture (Pull The Curtain Back)
folder
Harry Potter Crossovers › General - Misc
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
15
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3,866
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
Harry Potter Crossovers › General - Misc
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
15
Views:
3,866
Reviews:
30
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Ch 13 - Advice For The Young At Heart
CHAPTER 13 - ADVICE FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART
And when I think of you and all the love that\'s due
I\'ll make a promise, I\'ll make a stand
Cos to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise
We\'ve got the whole wide world in our hands
Advice For The Young At Heart - Tears For Fears
Faith and Sirius joined everyone else in the library. As they walked around the desk to sit down Willow reached out and touched Faiths arm.
"Is everything okay?"
Faith looked surprised at the worry on the witches face and then smiled, "Yeah Wil, five by five."
Albus looked up from the large leather-bound book he and Giles were poring over. "Ah Sirius, Faith, good, good, I believe I have found out what is causing Sirius to lose his magic."
Everyone settled down at this and looked expectantly at the old man at the top of the table. He looked down at the book and then up at Faith, "Do you know the story of how the first slayer came to be?"
Faith raised her eyebrows, surprised by the question. She glanced at Giles and then back at Albus.
"Yeah, B told me," she said, remembering how angry she had gotten when she found out what they did to the first slayer. "This bunch of men got a girl, held her down and infected her with demon stuff but I don't see"¦"
"They were wizards Faith, no one else would have been powerful enough to harness the essence of a demon."
"They raped her, forced that thing into her. You're not winning yourself any points telling me shit like that Albus," she snapped and stood up.
"I know Faith but it is important."
"Important as in it has something to do with me losing my magic?" asked Sirius, looking at Albus but grabbing Faiths hand to stop her from walking out.
"Yes."
Faith sat back down but Sirius didn't let go of her hand.
"The first slayer always fought alone as you know, no friends, no family, nothing but the kill. The wizards watched, as their creation became everything they could have hoped for. She killed every demon in her path. However she became unstable, she had no training and began to kill indiscriminately. The wizards defeated her eventually."
Faith stared around the room at the group, "Glad we're not doing that anymore," she said, half jokingly.
Albus smiled humourlessly but continued, "The wizards were determined that they could produce a perfect slayer. They just had to make a few changes."
Faith, who the Scoobies all knew, had no attention span at all, groaned "Uh huh, and are you coming to a point any time soon or should we just settle in for Albus Dumbledore's "˜Tales of the Slayer'," she gestured to Andrew, "That's what we've got him for"
"Ooh good title though," said Andrew nodding at Faith who just shook her head at him.
"Faith, Andrew that's enough," said Giles in a warning tone. Faith shrugged and motioned for Albus to continue.
"The first change they made was for the slayer to have a guardian, someone to train her, someone to make accounts of her battles, someone to watch her. They formed councils around the world and hired muggleborn wizards, who at that time were not welcomed into the wizarding world as watchers for any girls who had potential."
"Albus please!" said Sirius desperate to know what any of this had to do with him.
"I'm getting there Sirius, but you need to know it all, both of you. The slayer line became stronger; with each girls passing the next became stronger as though her predecessor was passing her strength on every time. Many years on, the newer watchers councils realised that despite their "˜One girl in all the world' mantra, what they really needed was more slayers, they just couldn't fathom how to duplicate the original spell without hurting the girls, and now all the pure demons were gone. After a few failed attempts they looked to another source.
"They thought that if they could get the slayers pregnant by someone powerful enough, a wizard or a demon, that the children would become slayers due to the genes and therefore secure themselves an army."
Faith stared at him and then Giles "Are you crazy?" Then a frown settled over her face, "A champion," she said to herself and then to Albus, "All the slayers were supposed to have a champion, right?"
He nodded, "They had it all planned out, the watchers and the Powers that be. The wizards had created the slayer line, picked the potentials and their muggle watchers. The Powers would provide them with champions to help them fight for their cause and father their children."
There was a moment of hushed whispering at this new information.
"Unfortunately they didn't count on you and Miss Summers being two of the most unusual slayers in history, Faith."
Faith just raised an eyebrow.
"Miss Summers comes to Sunnydale and meets her champion."
"Angel," said Willow, trying to remember every detail, so she could fill Buffy in on what had been discovered.
Albus nodded, "However when she died after one year on the hellmouth, Angel was to leave and Kendra to come to Giles and subsequently her champion. But as we all know Miss Summers lived and Angel stayed, for a while anyway. Kendra however was killed before meeting her champion. That's when Faith here, was called. The watchers council and the Powers, however have never really understood the young women in their charge and their thoughts and feelings. They already activated the next champion for Faith, not noticing what was happening between the two slayers. Faith left Sunnydale but her champion stayed behind."
Faith and Willow both frowned at each other, their eyes widening at the same time.
"Spike?" asked Faith looking incredulously from Willow to Giles, "My champion was Spike?"
"Yes. But now both Angel and Spike are gone," said Albus, sadly.
Faith turned away from the table, not wanting to show the feelings about her fallen comrades.
"Buffy's new champion has been activated, and as you sought your redemption the Powers began searching for a new champion for you. As I understand it Sirius, you volunteered."
Sirius, who had been watching Faith, turned to Albus with a shocked look on his face, "What? I didn't volunteer for anything are you mad?"
"As you fell through the veil you prayed for your life. You told the voices, voices that Faith correctly guessed were the Powers that be, that you were a champion. They took you at your word. And they sent you to a Slayer."
"Whoa!" said Ron, wincing as Hermione poked him in the ribs with her elbow.
Sirius looked at Albus, "Is that why me and Faith are...Why we're attracted to each other?" he didn't want to say it in front of the rest of the group but the thought of never knowing whether she really liked him and he, her or if it was all a ploy by a higher power was to much for him.
Faith looked at Sirius, then at Albus, anxiously awaiting the answer. Her chest felt tight at the thought that she had been played once again.
Albus smiled at them both, "Sirius, Faith, there are over five hundred slayers in the muggle world now. The Powers could just have well sent Sirius to any one of them, they will all need champions, but they didn't. I believe they only send champions to slayers who they think will be a good match for each other, a team. The rest is up to the slayer and her champion."
Faith and Sirius exchanged a smile, Faith turned to Albus and said, "There were a lot shorter ways you could have told us that y'no, I think you enjoy seeing us squirm"
Albus just laughed.
"Excuse me professor," said Hermione timidly, "but that still doesn't explain what is happening to Sirius's magics."
Sirius looked from Faith to Hermione and then to Albus, "It's a test isn't it, they're bloody testing me to make sure I'm worthy!"
"It seems so, but they wouldn't tell me any more than that apart from that your powers will return when they deem it so. Unfortunately we have no idea when that will be."
"So what do we do until then?" asked Willow,
"Well," said Albus, "really it changes nothing, the children still need to go to school, we are still at war and we still need to return to our world."
"Yes, I suppose we do," said Sirius. His face showed complete distaste at the thought of having to return to that house. The one place that was his and yet had never felt like home. He lifted his head, his eyes meeting Faiths. He had promised her that they would stick together and now he was leaving.
Giles noticed the exchange between slayer and wizard. He considered the dark haired woman who had once taken Sunnydale by storm, and wondered how different her life would had been had she had a champion by her side through it all. He made a decision then, "Faith will accompany you back to your world to help with the battles."
Faith looked up sharply at Giles and then back at Sirius with a small smirk. Sirius's face broke out into a wide grin and faltered as suddenly.
"No," he said quietly, "Voldemort already knows who she is and that she's here, until I have my magic back I can't protect her."
Faith slammed her hands down on the desk. "The hell you say Sirius, don't start this shit with me. Champion or not I'm coming with you."
Sirius jumped up, his chair scraping loudly against the tiled floor but before he could say anything Albus spoke up, "Well that's settled then Sirius, Faith will come back and stay at Grimmauld place with you," he and Remus exchanged a smile, "But of course, you are not confined to the house anymore, so it won't be so bad, just use caution if you go out, especially as you do not have your magic."
"What are you talking about Albus?" asked Sirius, looking from the old man, to his oldest friend who was grinning at him, "Moony?"
"In all the haste of your return and all the other things going on we forgot to tell you," said Remus, looking at the trio and returning their grin as Harry touched his godfathers' sleeve.
"You're no longer a wanted man Sirius," he said quietly, "Fudge was overthrown after the incident at the ministry and Arthur Weasley was voted in."
Ron's chest puffed up with pride for his dad as he said, "Yeah, one of the first things dad did when he took over was give you a full pardon. Admittedly, we all thought you'd popped your clogs, but he said that it still stands now you're back. He can't wait to see you."
Sirius didn't say anything for a moment, just closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. He was truly a free man. Faith squeezed his hand, knowing exactly how he felt, having felt it herself when Angel and his team at Wolfram and Hart had got her off on a technicality after the hellmouth was destroyed.
"Me and Andrew are coming too," said Willow, reddening slightly at the pleased look on Remus's face, "but we are going back to the school with the others."
"I unfortunately must stay here as I have some trainee watchers coming in, in a few days and I must be here for them but please let me know if there's anything I can do." sighed Giles, a small part of him wishing that he could with them.
Albus turned, shook Giles' hand and after goodbyes and "˜see you soons' all round, Albus, the trio, Remus, Willow and Andrew disappeared into the flames.
Faith nodded to Giles with a "later" and turned to the fireplace. Sirius smiled, "Sorry Faith, muggle transport again, this floo's not connected to my place."
"Damn, I love that floo thing," said Faith jokingly, as she grabbed his arm, "I guess I'll have to get my kicks another way," she smacked him on the arse and ran up the stairs as she shouted to him, "Get a move on."
Sirius turned to Giles and smiled, then ran up the stairs after her. Giles sat down in his chair, exhausted. He soon drifted off into a much-needed sleep with a smile because he could hear Faith and Sirius laughing as they left. The happy sounds put him to sleep as easily as a lullaby.
And when I think of you and all the love that\'s due
I\'ll make a promise, I\'ll make a stand
Cos to these big brown eyes, this comes as no surprise
We\'ve got the whole wide world in our hands
Advice For The Young At Heart - Tears For Fears
Faith and Sirius joined everyone else in the library. As they walked around the desk to sit down Willow reached out and touched Faiths arm.
"Is everything okay?"
Faith looked surprised at the worry on the witches face and then smiled, "Yeah Wil, five by five."
Albus looked up from the large leather-bound book he and Giles were poring over. "Ah Sirius, Faith, good, good, I believe I have found out what is causing Sirius to lose his magic."
Everyone settled down at this and looked expectantly at the old man at the top of the table. He looked down at the book and then up at Faith, "Do you know the story of how the first slayer came to be?"
Faith raised her eyebrows, surprised by the question. She glanced at Giles and then back at Albus.
"Yeah, B told me," she said, remembering how angry she had gotten when she found out what they did to the first slayer. "This bunch of men got a girl, held her down and infected her with demon stuff but I don't see"¦"
"They were wizards Faith, no one else would have been powerful enough to harness the essence of a demon."
"They raped her, forced that thing into her. You're not winning yourself any points telling me shit like that Albus," she snapped and stood up.
"I know Faith but it is important."
"Important as in it has something to do with me losing my magic?" asked Sirius, looking at Albus but grabbing Faiths hand to stop her from walking out.
"Yes."
Faith sat back down but Sirius didn't let go of her hand.
"The first slayer always fought alone as you know, no friends, no family, nothing but the kill. The wizards watched, as their creation became everything they could have hoped for. She killed every demon in her path. However she became unstable, she had no training and began to kill indiscriminately. The wizards defeated her eventually."
Faith stared around the room at the group, "Glad we're not doing that anymore," she said, half jokingly.
Albus smiled humourlessly but continued, "The wizards were determined that they could produce a perfect slayer. They just had to make a few changes."
Faith, who the Scoobies all knew, had no attention span at all, groaned "Uh huh, and are you coming to a point any time soon or should we just settle in for Albus Dumbledore's "˜Tales of the Slayer'," she gestured to Andrew, "That's what we've got him for"
"Ooh good title though," said Andrew nodding at Faith who just shook her head at him.
"Faith, Andrew that's enough," said Giles in a warning tone. Faith shrugged and motioned for Albus to continue.
"The first change they made was for the slayer to have a guardian, someone to train her, someone to make accounts of her battles, someone to watch her. They formed councils around the world and hired muggleborn wizards, who at that time were not welcomed into the wizarding world as watchers for any girls who had potential."
"Albus please!" said Sirius desperate to know what any of this had to do with him.
"I'm getting there Sirius, but you need to know it all, both of you. The slayer line became stronger; with each girls passing the next became stronger as though her predecessor was passing her strength on every time. Many years on, the newer watchers councils realised that despite their "˜One girl in all the world' mantra, what they really needed was more slayers, they just couldn't fathom how to duplicate the original spell without hurting the girls, and now all the pure demons were gone. After a few failed attempts they looked to another source.
"They thought that if they could get the slayers pregnant by someone powerful enough, a wizard or a demon, that the children would become slayers due to the genes and therefore secure themselves an army."
Faith stared at him and then Giles "Are you crazy?" Then a frown settled over her face, "A champion," she said to herself and then to Albus, "All the slayers were supposed to have a champion, right?"
He nodded, "They had it all planned out, the watchers and the Powers that be. The wizards had created the slayer line, picked the potentials and their muggle watchers. The Powers would provide them with champions to help them fight for their cause and father their children."
There was a moment of hushed whispering at this new information.
"Unfortunately they didn't count on you and Miss Summers being two of the most unusual slayers in history, Faith."
Faith just raised an eyebrow.
"Miss Summers comes to Sunnydale and meets her champion."
"Angel," said Willow, trying to remember every detail, so she could fill Buffy in on what had been discovered.
Albus nodded, "However when she died after one year on the hellmouth, Angel was to leave and Kendra to come to Giles and subsequently her champion. But as we all know Miss Summers lived and Angel stayed, for a while anyway. Kendra however was killed before meeting her champion. That's when Faith here, was called. The watchers council and the Powers, however have never really understood the young women in their charge and their thoughts and feelings. They already activated the next champion for Faith, not noticing what was happening between the two slayers. Faith left Sunnydale but her champion stayed behind."
Faith and Willow both frowned at each other, their eyes widening at the same time.
"Spike?" asked Faith looking incredulously from Willow to Giles, "My champion was Spike?"
"Yes. But now both Angel and Spike are gone," said Albus, sadly.
Faith turned away from the table, not wanting to show the feelings about her fallen comrades.
"Buffy's new champion has been activated, and as you sought your redemption the Powers began searching for a new champion for you. As I understand it Sirius, you volunteered."
Sirius, who had been watching Faith, turned to Albus with a shocked look on his face, "What? I didn't volunteer for anything are you mad?"
"As you fell through the veil you prayed for your life. You told the voices, voices that Faith correctly guessed were the Powers that be, that you were a champion. They took you at your word. And they sent you to a Slayer."
"Whoa!" said Ron, wincing as Hermione poked him in the ribs with her elbow.
Sirius looked at Albus, "Is that why me and Faith are...Why we're attracted to each other?" he didn't want to say it in front of the rest of the group but the thought of never knowing whether she really liked him and he, her or if it was all a ploy by a higher power was to much for him.
Faith looked at Sirius, then at Albus, anxiously awaiting the answer. Her chest felt tight at the thought that she had been played once again.
Albus smiled at them both, "Sirius, Faith, there are over five hundred slayers in the muggle world now. The Powers could just have well sent Sirius to any one of them, they will all need champions, but they didn't. I believe they only send champions to slayers who they think will be a good match for each other, a team. The rest is up to the slayer and her champion."
Faith and Sirius exchanged a smile, Faith turned to Albus and said, "There were a lot shorter ways you could have told us that y'no, I think you enjoy seeing us squirm"
Albus just laughed.
"Excuse me professor," said Hermione timidly, "but that still doesn't explain what is happening to Sirius's magics."
Sirius looked from Faith to Hermione and then to Albus, "It's a test isn't it, they're bloody testing me to make sure I'm worthy!"
"It seems so, but they wouldn't tell me any more than that apart from that your powers will return when they deem it so. Unfortunately we have no idea when that will be."
"So what do we do until then?" asked Willow,
"Well," said Albus, "really it changes nothing, the children still need to go to school, we are still at war and we still need to return to our world."
"Yes, I suppose we do," said Sirius. His face showed complete distaste at the thought of having to return to that house. The one place that was his and yet had never felt like home. He lifted his head, his eyes meeting Faiths. He had promised her that they would stick together and now he was leaving.
Giles noticed the exchange between slayer and wizard. He considered the dark haired woman who had once taken Sunnydale by storm, and wondered how different her life would had been had she had a champion by her side through it all. He made a decision then, "Faith will accompany you back to your world to help with the battles."
Faith looked up sharply at Giles and then back at Sirius with a small smirk. Sirius's face broke out into a wide grin and faltered as suddenly.
"No," he said quietly, "Voldemort already knows who she is and that she's here, until I have my magic back I can't protect her."
Faith slammed her hands down on the desk. "The hell you say Sirius, don't start this shit with me. Champion or not I'm coming with you."
Sirius jumped up, his chair scraping loudly against the tiled floor but before he could say anything Albus spoke up, "Well that's settled then Sirius, Faith will come back and stay at Grimmauld place with you," he and Remus exchanged a smile, "But of course, you are not confined to the house anymore, so it won't be so bad, just use caution if you go out, especially as you do not have your magic."
"What are you talking about Albus?" asked Sirius, looking from the old man, to his oldest friend who was grinning at him, "Moony?"
"In all the haste of your return and all the other things going on we forgot to tell you," said Remus, looking at the trio and returning their grin as Harry touched his godfathers' sleeve.
"You're no longer a wanted man Sirius," he said quietly, "Fudge was overthrown after the incident at the ministry and Arthur Weasley was voted in."
Ron's chest puffed up with pride for his dad as he said, "Yeah, one of the first things dad did when he took over was give you a full pardon. Admittedly, we all thought you'd popped your clogs, but he said that it still stands now you're back. He can't wait to see you."
Sirius didn't say anything for a moment, just closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. He was truly a free man. Faith squeezed his hand, knowing exactly how he felt, having felt it herself when Angel and his team at Wolfram and Hart had got her off on a technicality after the hellmouth was destroyed.
"Me and Andrew are coming too," said Willow, reddening slightly at the pleased look on Remus's face, "but we are going back to the school with the others."
"I unfortunately must stay here as I have some trainee watchers coming in, in a few days and I must be here for them but please let me know if there's anything I can do." sighed Giles, a small part of him wishing that he could with them.
Albus turned, shook Giles' hand and after goodbyes and "˜see you soons' all round, Albus, the trio, Remus, Willow and Andrew disappeared into the flames.
Faith nodded to Giles with a "later" and turned to the fireplace. Sirius smiled, "Sorry Faith, muggle transport again, this floo's not connected to my place."
"Damn, I love that floo thing," said Faith jokingly, as she grabbed his arm, "I guess I'll have to get my kicks another way," she smacked him on the arse and ran up the stairs as she shouted to him, "Get a move on."
Sirius turned to Giles and smiled, then ran up the stairs after her. Giles sat down in his chair, exhausted. He soon drifted off into a much-needed sleep with a smile because he could hear Faith and Sirius laughing as they left. The happy sounds put him to sleep as easily as a lullaby.